Phelps' overall 3.83 ERA is high because of the 10 runs he gave up in April as a reliever. But Phelps came up through the Yankees' system as a starter, putting together a 2.51 ERA and 1.17 WHIP in 515 1/3 innings pitched. Of his 91 minor league appearances, 90 were starts. It's tough to put this out there without sounding hyperbolic, but if you liked Kris Medlen last year, it's hard to see why you wouldn't like Phelps. 

You won't get a ton of strikeouts, but Phelps should provide some low ratios, and gives Points leaguers a starter all dressed up as an RP. 

The club needed his roster spot to call up Samuel Deduno to pitch Friday's game against Detroit. Wood has been dealing with a shoulder and back injury all season. He is expected to go on a rehab assignment sometime in the next week. Wood will be eligible to return May 30.

Deduno has been slated to start the game since Tuesday, but they had to make a 40-man roster move to call him up. The Twins moved Tim Wood to the 60-day disabled list to make room for Deduno.

Deduno was sidelined by a groin injury for much of April, but he owns a 2.70 ERA through three starts at Triple-A Rochester.

Prado is hitting just .232 on the season entering play Friday, thanks to a 2-for-19 slide. He has just three extra-base hits in the month of May, all doubles, and none in his last eight games.

"From experience it takes awhile for everyone to come together and to have chemistry. Once that happens and everyone can trust each other, we'll be all right," Schumaker told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

For his part, Schumaker is showing signs of life recently, despite not playing every day. He has started six of the last 10 games, and is batting .304 in that span. 

Betancourt, who had just one hit in his previous six games, is batting .308 with two RBI and as many walks as strikeouts (two) in his last four.

Betancourt is hitting .232 on the season, but just .178 overall in the month of May, with two home runs. 

Chamberlain said his injured oblique felt good after he threw Wednesday. The Yankees will wait to make their next move with Chamberlain until they see how the oblique reacts to Saturday's workload. He could be ready to return in about a week.

Nova threw a bullpen session without issue Wednesday. The Yankees are planning to meet and decide if he will return to the rotation Friday. General manager Brian Cashman previously said "we'll just wait and see," so Nova's return to the rotation shouldn't be considered a guarantee.

Teixeira, who is rehabbing an injured wrist, said he will need 50 at-bats at rehab, or likely between 10 and 15 games. He took six at-bats in a simulated game Friday and told reporters he felt "really good." Once he begins a rehab assignment, the Yankees must bring him back to the majors within 20 days barring another injury, so he should be back within about three weeks.

Mattheus slammed his right (pitching) hand into his locker after Sunday's game against San Diego. The fracture will not require surgery but because he won't be able to move his pitching hand, the work required to get his arm back in shape will force him to miss at least a month.